# Raul Castro: Cubans Can Have Cell Phones



## cre8v1 (Dec 5, 2006)

I didn't see this posted anywhere yet. Thought this short article was kinda cool. I don't know what this means in the grand scheme of things but we'll see. It is nice that finally Cubans are getting some luxuries that were previously unavailable.

  *Raul Castro: Cubans Can Have Cell Phones*

 HAVANA (AP) - President Raul Castro's government is allowing ordinary Cubans to have cell phones.
The luxury was previously reserved for those who worked for foreign firms or held key posts with the communist-run state.
Friday's decree officially lifts a major restriction on daily life in Cuba.
It's the kind of small freedom many on the island have been hoping Raul Castro would embrace since taking over the presidency from his older brother Fidel last month.
Some Cubans previously ineligible for cell phones already had gotten them by having foreigners sign contracts in their names.


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## onlyonerm (Mar 18, 2006)

cre8v1 said:


> I didn't see this posted anywhere yet. Thought this short article was kinda cool. I don't know what this means in the grand scheme of things but we'll see. It is nice that finally Cubans are getting some luxuries that were previously unavailable.
> 
> *Raul Castro: Cubans Can Have Cell Phones*
> 
> ...


Interesting bit of info. Makes me think Fidel really is in the Pine Box.


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## tireiron (Sep 6, 2007)

Good info, thanks for the post.


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## cre8v1 (Dec 5, 2006)

onlyonerm said:


> Interesting bit of info. Makes me think Fidel really is in the Pine Box.


My thoughts exactly.


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## MeNimbus (Dec 18, 2006)

Maybe the Embargo will be lifted in the near future. One can only dream...


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## hamncheese (Oct 5, 2006)

How many Cubans will be able to afford cell phones? As I understand it, they have a hard time feeding themselves on their gov rations. Is the government going to hand them out with service included? Seems weird. Almost like the US government declaring that everyone can have a Ferrari...


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

pnutbutrsangwich said:


> How many Cubans will be able to afford cell phones? As I understand it, they have a hard time feeding themselves on their gov rations.  Is the government going to hand them out with service included? Seems weird. Almost like the US government declaring that everyone can have a Ferrari...


That's funny, exactly what I was thinking... The Patek Phillipe boutique is now open to all natives... I am sure many Cubans will have cell phones paid by foreign relatives.


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## Jay Hemingway-cl (Oct 21, 2007)

pnutbutrsangwich said:


> How many Cubans will be able to afford cell phones? As I understand it, they have a hard time feeding themselves on their gov rations. Is the government going to hand them out with service included? Seems weird. Almost like the US government declaring that everyone can have a Ferrari...


 thats good.


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## Twill413 (Jul 19, 2006)

I would just like to see what Carlos or some other Cuban board members think this means in the overall scope. Yo, Carlos! Where are you bro? I think this sounds like a great step forward personally.


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## skibumdc (Jun 27, 2007)

MeNimbus said:


> Maybe the Embargo will be lifted in the near future. One can only dream...


Why do we really want the embargo lifted?
All that will do is flood the market with a bunch of poorly made cigars that are MADE in Cuba.
It will be like the 90's cigar boom all over again with Rubbish in the market, rising prices. 
Serious smoker will have to wait YEARS before it goes back to normal.

If you want Cuban cigars just take a trip North or South and go to a respectable shop....or take your chances with the gov't and order online.


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

skibumdc said:


> Why do we really want the embargo lifted?


Ummmmmm, maybe because there are many people who have family and friends there. Or, because it would be better for the Cuban people?

Your response is narrow-minded and pretty ridiculous, IMHO. I would gladly wait out short term fluctuations in cigar quality and price with no reservations if it meant the embargo ending and/or the current regime in Cuba changing to a new guard.

:2


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## Blueface (May 28, 2005)

Here I am!!!:r



onlyonerm said:


> Interesting bit of info. Makes me think Fidel really is in the Pine Box.


:r
I have been saying that for quite some time. Need to dig up that "Weekend at Fidel's" drawing.
He is worm food right now.



MeNimbus said:


> Maybe the Embargo will be lifted in the near future. One can only dream...


They keep making dramatic changes, yeah, I can very well see that coming about. Change is going to happen sooner or later. The more freedoms they are gradually given, the more the roller blades will be oiled, the faster they will want them to come. That is all great stuff.



mosesbotbol said:


> That's funny, exactly what I was thinking... The Patek Phillipe boutique is now open to all natives... I am sure many Cubans will have cell phones paid by foreign relatives.


Right on point.
They won't have food but the cell phones will be ringing.
Sort of not too different from what I recall growing up in Newark, NJ.
Folks on food stamps, living in what I would call poverty, but the Caddies were parked outside.



Twill413 said:


> I would just like to see what Carlos or some other Cuban board members think this means in the overall scope. Yo, Carlos! Where are you bro? I think this sounds like a great step forward personally.


Here I am!!!:r



adsantos13 said:


> Ummmmmm, maybe because there are many people who have family and friends there. Or, because it would be better for the Cuban people?


The comment you replied to is understandable to me when I consider many don't have a close tie other than cigar smoking.
I have plenty of examples to what you state.
Mom hasn't seen brother in 44 years.
Wife hasn't seen dad, other than on two very short visits to the US of less than a week, in over 40 years.
As much as I am a proud American, I have such an emptiness in my heart to not be able to go back to where I was born. We all have a turtle or whale or bird or salmon in us that has us want to see where it is we came from. Many can do that. I can't.
I can go on and on.

The Embargo may be a topic of discussion for hours depending on which side you fall on but one thing is for sure, nothing can stop change and progress. Eventually, the folks would get tired and start demanding. The more they get, the more they see what they can get, the more change they will seek and it will be a steamroll.

I can only imagine what is yet to come in Cuba as they keep "tasting" and demanding and eventually, there will be no need to try to support the Embargo and down too that will fall, as everything changes.

The important thing to me personally is that it is starting from within, not from outside.


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## SR Mike (Feb 4, 2008)

Blueface, great post! this last line of yours is really important when one thinks of the embargo:


Blueface said:


> The important thing to me personally is that it is starting from within, not from outside.


 Lifting the embargo will not fix Cuba. It will flood the economy with money, but not the freedom of the people. Only Cuba can fix Cuba.


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## Mark THS (Feb 5, 2007)

Reminds me of the Chris Rock bit (modified slightly for Cuba)...

"Communist dicatators always want credit for some sh-- they're supposed to do. They'll brag about stuff a normal man just does. They'll say something like, 'Yeah, well, I let my citizens have cell phones.' You're supposed to, you dumb mother------. Whaddya want? A cookie? You low-expectation-having mother------!"

In all seriousness, good for the great citizens of Cuba. These freedoms are long overdue


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## cre8v1 (Dec 5, 2006)

Great points, Carlos. I was hoping you would add your perspective. I agree, the change does need to come from within. Thanks, bro!


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

SR Mike said:


> Blueface, great post! this last line of yours is really important when one thinks of the embargo: Lifting the embargo will not fix Cuba. It will flood the economy with money, but not the freedom of the people. Only Cuba can fix Cuba.


While I agree that this is all hypothetical, denying ordinary Cubans financial power is a big reason why the government is able to maintain the status quo. If you look back in history you will see example upon example of change or revolution being fomented by those in the society who have money and are frustrated.

Just MHO, of course...


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## Silound (May 22, 2007)

MeNimbus said:


> Maybe the Embargo will be lifted in the near future. One can only dream...


I truly hope the embargo is not just lifted, but rather phased out slowly and methodically.

If you read some of the other threads on the subject, you can definitely see there's a strong feeling that the quality and price of CC's would reverse course with each other (lower QC, higher price) and there would be an abundant flooding of the market with fakes (including some very convincingly good fakes). This will only have negative effect _everywhere in the world_ due to the immediate demand for CC's.


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

Blueface said:


> The important thing to me personally is that it is starting from within, not from outside.


wanted to keep this fresh in the thread


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## lenguamor (Nov 23, 2006)

What a guy.

Thing is, the people can have all the cellphones in the world but they're no good without cell sites.

And given Cuba's lack of infrastructure in everything, I doubt you can get a signal anywhere except the center of La Habana and at the resorts.


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## malinois1 (Feb 17, 2008)

Maybe next, he will allow them to own guns!!! Now that would be wonderful!! :ss


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Silound said:


> I truly hope the embargo is not just lifted, but rather phased out slowly and methodically.
> 
> If you read some of the other threads on the subject, you can definitely see there's a strong feeling that the quality and price of CC's would reverse course with each other...


The price or availibility of Cuban cigars is the least of my concerns about the Embargo. Freedom and human rights are what matter the most; cigar prices are inconsequential.


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## M1903A1 (Jun 7, 2006)

pnutbutrsangwich said:


> How many Cubans will be able to afford cell phones? As I understand it, they have a hard time feeding themselves on their gov rations. Is the government going to hand them out with service included? Seems weird. Almost like the US government declaring that everyone can have a Ferrari...


Also, from what I've read elsewhere, it's another "luxury" that has to be paid for with either hard currency or Cuban convertible pesos. And the vast majority of Cubans (save for those in government or with a hand in the tourist trade, or those engaged in gray/black market activity) don't have access to hard or convertible currency.


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## Thurm15 (Jan 28, 2005)

How ever you want to look at it, It is a step albeit a small one in the right direction.


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## gnukfu (Dec 19, 2007)

I'm sure I am repeating what has been stated above but this positive change along with other small changes that have been made by Raul hopefully mean good things for the people of Cuba in the future. The more they open themselves up to the rest of the world and begin giving their people more freedoms will hopefully result in free trade and travel and a removal of the oppression that the citizens of Cuba have been under for decades. Those people have suffered long enough due to the enormous ego of one person.


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## SR Mike (Feb 4, 2008)

adsantos13 said:


> While I agree that this is all hypothetical, denying ordinary Cubans financial power is a big reason why the government is able to maintain the status quo. If you look back in history you will see example upon example of change or revolution being fomented by those in the society who have money and are frustrated.
> 
> Just MHO, of course...


Britain certainly had more money then the colonists, but that did not stop the colonists from telling King George they have had enough. In essence, that is probably what was expected by many when the embargo was set in place. I do not think more money is the answer.


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

A short while ago, I made the errant statement to keep the embargo in place. I apologize for the statement. I was only thinking in the selfish manner of cigar quality, not the people. I truly hope this is a sign of better living coming to our brothers and sisters in Cuba. 

on a side note I blame our Government for the poor living conditions they have.


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## Moosie (Apr 25, 2005)

BigVito said:


> A short while ago, I made the errant statement to keep the embargo in place. I apologize for the statement. I was only thinking in the selfish manner of cigar quality, not the people. I truly hope this is a sign of better living coming to our brothers and sisters in Cuba.
> 
> on a side note* I blame our Government for the poor living conditions *they have.


You are joking. There are 195 countries in the world and you blame the U.S. (the only one with an embargo) for their problems. Can't the other communist countries help with goods and services. All other countries don't have travel
restrictions. My:2


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## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

Moosie said:


> You are joking. There are 195 countries in the world and you blame the U.S. (the only one with an embargo) for their problems. Can't the other communist countries help with goods and services. All other countries don't have travel
> restrictions. My:2


look into the history


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## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

SR Mike said:


> Britain certainly had more money then the colonists, but that did not stop the colonists from telling King George they have had enough. In essence, that is probably what was expected by many when the embargo was set in place. I do not think more money is the answer.


The British had more money, sure, but the revolutionaries who put the war into motion were also in large part from the upper or business classes. Like I said, I can see where you are coming from and I don't mean to say that only rich people carry out revolution or change in societies.

What I do firmly believe, however, is that if instead of isolating Cuba, we engaged them, Castro would of been gone a very long time ago. If the embargo was going to foster some kind of change from within, shouldn't it of already started? Is Cuba any closer to becoming a democracy now than it was 50 years ago? I would say no. I think if something isn't working, its necessary to change strategy. Otherwise, you're cutting off you're nose to spite your face.


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## FattyCBR (Feb 22, 2007)

adsantos13 said:


> What I do firmly believe, however, is that if instead of isolating Cuba, we engaged them, Castro would of been gone a very long time ago. If the embargo was going to foster some kind of change from within, shouldn't it of already started? Is Cuba any closer to becoming a democracy now than it was 50 years ago? I would say no. I think if something isn't working, its necessary to change strategy. Otherwise, you're cutting off you're nose to spite your face.


What? You don't think it's more effective to stick your head in the sand and keep in place a 50 year old policy that isn't producing change? I just hope the next administration is more open minded.


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## D. Generate (Jul 1, 2004)

Alright, cell phones! Next privilege: hot water.


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## Papichulo (Jan 21, 2007)

lenguamor said:


> What a guy.
> 
> Thing is, the people can have all the cellphones in the world but they're no good without cell sites.
> 
> And given Cuba's lack of infrastructure in everything, I doubt you can get a signal anywhere except the center of La Habana and at the resorts.


So true and I know what you do.:cb


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## floydpink (Feb 15, 2007)

BigVito said:


> A short while ago, I made the errant statement to keep the embargo in place. I apologize for the statement. I was only thinking in the selfish manner of cigar quality, not the people. I truly hope this is a sign of better living coming to our brothers and sisters in Cuba.
> 
> on a side note I blame our Government for the poor living conditions they have.


Thank goodness the majority doesn't feel like you, or one of Castro's main goals would have been achieved.


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